ECOWAS Adopts Regional Training Manual on Aflatoxin Control for West Africa and the Sahel

ECOWAS member states and technical partners formally adopted a Regional Training Guide on Aflatoxin Control on 22 September 2026, following a two-day review meeting convened in Dakar by the ECOWAS Commission.

The meeting, held on 21 and 22 September, brought together representatives of ECOWAS member states, the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES), Chad, and their technical partners to conduct a final review of the document before its adoption. Proceedings were facilitated by the ECOWAS Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development and the ECOWAS Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food, and chaired by Senegal's representative, reflecting that country's role as current holder of the rotating presidency of the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government.

According to the ECOWAS Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP), around twenty participants from national food safety authorities collectively endorsed the manual by consensus after their comments and recommendations were incorporated into the document.

Aflatoxins are a significant concern for the region's feed and food supply chains. The FSRP describes them as toxic substances naturally produced by certain moulds of the genus Aspergillus that contaminate many foodstuffs, particularly cereals, pulses and nuts, with consequences for human health, food security, and regional and international trade.

The guide was initiated by the ECOWAS Commission as part of the implementation of the West African Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP), which is funded by the World Bank. It builds on the work of the African Union Commission's Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA) while adapting those achievements to the specific conditions of West Africa and the Sahel, and incorporates recent international best practices covering the production, storage, processing, and marketing of agricultural products.

The manual is intended to serve member states, technical services, training institutions, producer organisations, and other value-chain stakeholders by providing what the FSRP describes as a harmonised, practical, and context-specific regional reference framework. Its stated objectives include strengthening capacities for the prevention, detection, monitoring, and management of aflatoxin-related risks.

The FSRP characterised the adoption as a major step in ECOWAS's efforts to improve food safety and strengthen the resilience of regional food systems, saying it reflects member states' commitment to a common approach based on harmonised standards and shared practices.